The Misery Machine - The Case of Lola James

Starting point is 00:00:00 Lola Patricia James was born in Wales on September 30th, 2017 to parents Chenet James and Daniel Thomas. She had an older sister born in March of 2014 and a baby sister born in May of 2019. Lola's maternal grandmother, Nicola James, said the toddler had big, sparkly eyes and soft blonde curls, and that she gave the best hugs. She had an open smile and sometimes wore her hair in short pigtails tied with a bow. Though she was shy around strangers, her family said she was feisty, outgoing, and bold. Nicola called Lola her cheeky monkey, who grew into a charming, smiley, bubbly, mischievous little girl. Her grandmother recounted a time that captures the cheeky side of Lola's personality.

Starting point is 00:00:46 She had asked to paint her figure nails and was told no, but that didn't stop the determined toddler. A few minutes later, there was a bright red nail polish on her feet, ankles, all over her hands, it was everywhere. Though it was likely a bit of work to clean it all up, Nicholas says she smiles when she remembers how independent Lola could be. Lola loved dancing, singing, and playing with her dollhouse. She and her big sister sometimes stayed up late

Starting point is 00:01:13 pretending to be the princesses and frozen. She loved the movie Who Frayn Broger Rabbit and her favorite snack was Monster Munch Corn Chips. Her father, Daniel said, even as a toddler, she loved the outdoors and everything there, the birds, bees, and butterflies. She loved eating homegrown strawberries and apples from her grandmother's garden and going on butterfly hunts. Her grandmother said she was happiest when she was caked in mud, getting into her shorts and wellies.

Starting point is 00:01:41 Her father described her as bright as the golden sun. She was beautiful, charming, and cheeky. Her laugh would fill the room with pure joy. She nadin Daniel's relationship was over not long after it started. He was described as a loving and attentive parent to Lola from a distance. but he wasn't involved in Shanade's life after Loa was born. Shanade, her daughters, and the family dog lived in a single family home in Haverford West, a small town in the southwest of Wales.

Starting point is 00:02:10 Visitors to her home described it as sometimes messy and smelly with diapers and clothes all over the place. Pictures of the bedroom that the girls shared showed cheerful wallpaper and paint curtains, but also a mess of clothes and toys strewn everywhere with an empty soda can and old popsicle sticks among the clutter. After Daniel, Shanade got into another relationship, but he was a violent man, and it did not end well. The DV incident occurred in her home, and he was reported, and Shanade stopped seeing him. And much like a report of DV in the United States might trigger a CPS investigation, in Wales, the local branch of the National Health Services was notified. The Highwood Health Board submitted a multi-agency referral in an effort to get mental health and other services to Shanade and her girls.

Starting point is 00:02:56 The agency didn't release her prior records, but did say the local authority had significant involvement with the family over the years. In January 2020, health visitor Leslie Stedman met with her at her home and discussed her situation. Now, health visitors do some of the work that a caseworker might do in the states. Leslie's job was to evaluate the cleanliness and safety of her home, write a report and refer for services. Sheenade identified herself as a victim of DV, so Leslie offered her education on DV in its related dangers, including the risks it posed to children. The next month, on February 10th,

Starting point is 00:03:36 Leslie stopped by the house for another face-to-face visit with Shanade and the children, with this time we're five years, two years, and eight months old. She noted the house was cluttered, dirty, and smelled damp. She was concerned that She could't keep up with the housekeeping. She said Lola looked like she needed a bath and her feet were dirty. Now, like many two-year-olds, Lola was a handful and her mother was struggling to care for her. Evidence of this struggle can be found in her text history. In one, Shnade described Lola as a terror.

Starting point is 00:04:08 She said, she don't sit still. She beats me up. She had enrolled Lola in a program at Flying Start to help with her behavior. In a later text, Shnade said Lola was doing my head in and, threatened that if Lola didn't start behaving, she'd throw her out the window. Shanaid told Leslie about the stress Lola was causing. She said there was something wrong with the girl because she was very demanding. She thought Lola might have ADHD.

Starting point is 00:04:37 Leslie offered parental support from a nurse along with speech therapy for the toddler, but Shnade refused the help. Again, Leslie went over the tips for recognizing a person who might commit DV, and she told Shnade not to invite a child. adults into the family home if she didn't know them well or if they used alcohol or drugs. Sheenade did not mention any new romantic partners, though it is possible she had already met her next boyfriend. It was exactly the kind of person Leslie was warning her about.

Starting point is 00:05:08 Later that same day, Shanade visited her general practitioner, Dr. Annaline Holiday. She told the doctor that watching Lola was exhausting. She said the toddler stayed up until 2 a.m. every night and would throw her. her food back at her. She also complained of the flashbacks from the DV which caused her to be tearful sometimes. The doctor prescribed antidepressants, which Cheney would later say worked well for her. Sometime in February, Shnade got a friend request over social media from a complete stranger named Kyle Bevin. She accepted and the two began exchanging messages. Kyle described himself as a recovering crack and spice addict, though he still drank alcohol and used amphetamines, Xanax,

Starting point is 00:05:51 Valium and weed, so his recovery seemed quite limited. He had a young daughter from a previous relationship, but he wasn't in contact with her. Though Shanade said she was, in her own words, frightened of every man because of her history as a victim of DV, she thought Kyle would be her protector. Within hours of their first conversation, they began a relationship. Reports vary, but either the day after they started talking or just a few days later, Kyle moved in with Shanade and her three vulnerable children. It was not long before the girls started accumulating injuries and bruises,

Starting point is 00:06:27 especially Lola, who was still too young to clearly explain what was happening to her. On April 19th, Kyle was awake while Shnade was asleep upstairs, sent a message saying Lola tripped over toys while coming down the stairs at 2 a.m. He had said that she had smashed her face and got a bloody nose. In April 26, Shnade noticed Lola had a scrape on her chin. Kyle explained it away as Lola just falling and he called her a crazy kid. Shanade said Kyle was really good with Lola. She said he would cook her dinner.

Starting point is 00:06:59 He would do stuff with her. He was always buying her stuff she didn't need, but he would treat her. Sometimes Kyle seemed to enjoy the children, but at other times his mood shifted and they frustrated him. One message, he talked about buying Lola presents and said she was fun to be around, but in another he said, too many kids in the house. just doing my head in. When he was in a bad mood, he was nasty and intimidating.

Starting point is 00:07:25 Under ordinary circumstances, health visitor Leslie Stadman would have returned to the home in April. However, the world events of 2020 soon made that impossible as lockdowns were imposed in Wales and around the world. She still kept in touch via telephone, but Sheenay would not tell her that Kyle had moved in and she didn't mention Lola's injuries. Texts from May 4th showed Lola acting out,

Starting point is 00:07:48 possibly to indicate she didn't like Kyle in the way he hurt her. Shnade saw Lola spitting at him and making a horrible noise. Lola also screamed while Kyle was with her. At night, the violence escalated and Lola ended up with a cut lip. Kyle claimed she fell off her bed saying, She was standing in her cot and she dropped to the floor really quickly. She bit her lip on the way down. I tried to help, but she kicked off.

Starting point is 00:08:14 Told Shnade, I feel like you don't trust me anymore. He also told her, Lola needs to get used to me, babe. I am not the devil. I think the world of that little girl. Of course, Cheneid believed his excuses. May 10th, the baby, Lola's younger sister, had a black eye. Casey Morgan, who is Shnade's best friend and neighbor, was disturbed when she saw it, so she took a picture of it. Casey asked what happened.

Starting point is 00:08:40 Sheenaid said the baby had an accident while Kyle was watching her. Casey did not like Kyle and told Shnade to get rid of him. that she didn't want him around her house or her kids. By May, Shanade knew that Kyle regularly took strong tranquilizers and often used other drugs. She admitted they both took amphetamines together, but claimed she only participated when the children were out of the house, staying with her mother or other family. May 14th, Kyle took Xanax and flew into a rage. He used a hammer to smash up the house, including the light switches in the kitchen. Tried to headbutt, Shanade, and scared she gathered up the children.

Starting point is 00:09:17 and ran to Casey's house. They spent the night there, but the next day Kyle did what abusers always do. He acted contrite and apologized, sent a message that said, I feel like a monster, and asked Shnade to forgive him. Casey begged her to stay, but Shnade and the children went home the next day. She let Kyle continue living there, and she kept leaving him alone with the kids. A few days later, her cousin visited and told her that the house was so dirty and cluttered that social services might get involved.

Starting point is 00:09:45 Kyle again flew into a rage and got aggressive with her cousin who quickly left. On June 8th, the health visitor phone to ask how she and the children were doing. Sheenay told her that she had another adult living in her home, but lied and said it was a female person. She didn't report her new relationship or any of the recent injuries to the children, and she concealed the state of her home. Conditions in the home continued to deteriorate. Shannade and Kyle often argued about Lola, and the arguments got heated. In one message, he told her to, come get your fucking child. While in another, it was Shnade who was angry at him for keeping Lola up all night.

Starting point is 00:10:26 She message, what's up with you? She needs to be in bed. It's 4 a.m. He replied, it was one fucking night, Shnade. She was falling asleep while playing and I was going to carry her up. I wanted to give her a cuddle to sleep, but you f***ed it up. Given his increasing violence towards Lola, it's chilling to imagine

Starting point is 00:10:44 what he might have been doing with her in the middle of the night. On June 11th, she and Kyle argued and he grabbed her arm. She texted a friend and said, I'm done, I'm finished with Kyle, I'm not putting up with it. I have kids to think about.

Starting point is 00:10:59 She messaged him saying she was sick of his drug use and told him to, get out. Kyle replied saying, fuck you, you lying, cheating, childish cuss. Despite his feelings, physical and verbally abuse, Shunayde backed out and let him stay. And she kept insisting that Kyle was not a danger to her children.

Starting point is 00:11:18 On July 5th, Casey saw Lola at the park and noticed bruises on her legs. There was no indication that Casey discussed her observation with Shnade and she did not call the police. Sheenaid was angry with Kyle that day, but not because of what he was doing to Lola. He was angry about the way Kyle was treating her. At the same day, she told him to get out again. and she texted, What you are doing is a form of DV.

Starting point is 00:11:43 I know I've been through it. When he refused to leave, she let the matter drop. She didn't call the police or ask for any help evicting him. Two days later on July 7th, she and Kyle were outside in the neighborhood pushing the baby in her stroller. She need's friend Casey was outside as well. In anger, Kyle shouted, He'll get it and pushed the stroller with the baby inside into a busy road.

Starting point is 00:12:07 Shnade had to dive into the street and pulled a baby out of oncoming traffic. Shaken, Shanaid asked Casey if she and the kids could spend the night again. Casey agreed and Shnade left the baby with her while she went back into the house to get the other children. Before Shnade got back, Kyle showed up. Casey said he was, in her own words, foaming by the mouth. His eyes were huge and he didn't look good. He was aggressive and it was really scary. A few minutes later, Shnade and the children,

Starting point is 00:12:37 arrived, looking petrified. They managed to enter Casey's home without further incident, but the next day, Shanade again forgave Kyle. She took the children back home and continued to let him watch them. On July 9th, Shanade received an ominous warning via social media. The grandmother of Kyle's daughter, not his mother, but the mother of his ex-girlfriends, had heard Kyle was living with Shanade. She reached out to her mom-to-mom because she thought Shanade should know that Kyle had physically hurt her daughter and her granddaughter in the past. She told Shanade he was a child protection risk. She said, I'm concerned about the fact that he's around your children. Shanade asked Kyle's mother, Alison Bevin, about the claim.

Starting point is 00:13:23 Allison said it wasn't true and, just like that, on the word of someone who was likely biased in trying to protect her son, Shanade dismissed the warning. Even though just two days before, he pushed her baby out into traffic. Later that day, Lola's face and nose were hurt quite badly, and again, it happened while Kyle was alone with her. Kyle blamed the family dog, who was an American bulldog named Jesse. He said that Jesse pushed Lola off the couch and face first into the coffee table. Concerned that Lola's nose was broken, Junaid asked a couple of the neighbors to look at it.

Starting point is 00:14:00 Notice Lola also had marks on the side of her neck as if someone had grabbed her. They said she needed to see a doctor immediately, but Shanaid lied and said that she had already seen a doctor. Later, Kyle told her that his mom looked at Lola through a video call and said she was fine. He also told Shnade that his mom was a nurse, but that was not true. Although she did work as a health care assistant, she was not a nurse. It is unknown whether the video call ever happened, but Shnade believed him and never took Lola to the doctor. In fact, she didn't take any of the children to the doctor for the injuries they suffered while Kyle was there. The next day, Chenade left Kyle alone with Lola and the baby.

Starting point is 00:14:41 She texted him, You don't need to tell me what you're doing with them. I do trust you with them. Day after that, on July 11th, Lola had another accident while Kyle was watching her, and Shnade texted, don't feel bad. Although Shnade has never explained, something must have happened during the next five days, because on July 16th, she asked for Kyle's birthday and told him she wanted to run a Claire's law check on him.

Starting point is 00:15:08 Claire's law, also known as the DV disclosure scheme, was implemented in 2014 by all police departments in Wales. Named in honor of Claire Wood, who was murdered by her partner, it allows the police to divulge information they have about dangerous people likely to commit DV. Kyle refused to give Shanade his date of birth and said, I don't have to give it to you. It won't find anything on me. Still, even with her suspicion aroused, she did nothing to remove Kyle or her children from the home.

Starting point is 00:15:39 That night, her mother was supposed to watch Lola, but Nicola Calden said she was feeling too sick. Sometime between 7 and 8 p.m., Chenade went to bed and left Kyle alone downstairs with Lola. Kyle said he took several pictures of her using Snapchat filters and then put her to bed. A few minutes after midnight on July 17th, Shanade was woken by a loud bang and heard Lola screaming.

Starting point is 00:16:04 She went to the children's room and found Kyle holding Lola by her bed. He told her, she's all right, she banged her head and, I've got this. Without comforting Lola or looking at her head, Sheenade believed him and went back to bed where she fell asleep. Over the next four hours, Kyle beat the toddler, causing multiple injuries. At 4.26 a.m., he took pictures of bruises on her back. In the image, she was still conscious and able to sit up on her own. Temporary tattoos, the toy kind that are sometimes prizes inside of cereal boxes, were visible on her arms. Sometime after taking the picture, he continued the assaults.

Starting point is 00:16:46 Two hours later, around 6.30 a.m., he Googled the phrase, My two-year-old child had just taken a bang to the head and gone all. limp and snoring. He also searched for loss of consciousness. At 637, he took a screenshot of a website on his phone. The image he captured clearly states that if a child has symptoms like excessive bruising, swelling, or loss of consciousness, he should call for an ambulance immediately. But he didn't call for help. In the next two minutes, he took more photographs of Lola, who cannot sit up on her own and appears to be unconscious. The photos her head, her head, eyes, and lips were extremely swollen and bruised. At 640, he calls his mother Allison, but she doesn't answer.

Starting point is 00:17:32 He sent her the photos of Lola, but she was asleep and didn't see them until she woke up at 6.55. When she saw those photos, she texted that Kyle should take the toddler directly to the hospital. But instead, he propped his phone up so he could film a gruesome 22-second video. In it, he lifted the unresponsive girl up and tried to get her. her to stand on her feet. He let go. Mola fell back to the floor with an audible thud. He picked her back up and set her on the couch and said, she's gone. She's gone. He sent the video to his mother at 6.58, but his mother claimed she didn't watch it. 7 a.m. she texted him again, saying he should wake Chenade up and get emergency help. She messaged him repeatedly over the

Starting point is 00:18:20 next 13 minutes. Kyle did not respond. Instead, he tried to come to cover up his crime by putting Lola in the bath and dressing her in new night clothes. Around 720, he woke Shnade up and told her that an ambulance was on its way because Lola was all limp and had fallen down the stairs. He held out his finger and showed her a piece of Lola's tongue that he said she had bitten off. But no ambulance was on its way because he had still not called one. At 728, almost an entire hour after he googled unconsciousness.

Starting point is 00:18:55 he asked his mother to call an ambulance. 729, Allison called emergency services. In her call, she said, she's a two-year-old, and she's got ADHD. She has fallen top to bottom down the stairs, and they can't wake her up. She's unconscious. She also said the girl was floppy

Starting point is 00:19:14 and had a massive lump on her head. She said her son didn't call because he didn't have credit on his phone, and the dispatcher told her they don't need credit to call the emergency line. 730, Shanade also placed a 999 call. She told the dispatcher, she's fallen down the stairs from the top of the stairs to the bottom. Her head's all swollen and she's bit the top of her tongue off.

Starting point is 00:19:37 When asked why she fell, Shanade said, The bloody dog I have, it just barged her and she fell. While Shanade was on the phone, Kyle took more photographs and videos of Lola unconscious and snoring on the couch. Around 734, ambulance and paramedics arrived. Kyle told paramedics, I think the dog tripped her over, that she had fallen down the steps. They noted the girl's face was swollen and badly bruised, and she appeared to be wet. She was not wearing a diaper underneath her pajamas, which was unusual because she wore one to bed. She was badly hurt and unconscious, but she was still alive.

Starting point is 00:20:14 She was rushed to the nearby Wiffy Bush Hospital by ambulance. After a short discussion with the police, Kyle and Shnade went to the hospital. Sheenade's mother and Lola's father, Daniel, soon joined the. them there. Kyle became aggressive when the doctors asked how Lola got her injuries and threatened to rip up their notes. He also got into an argument with Daniel and challenged him to a fight. Everyone else was heartbroken and distraught, but Kyle didn't even pretend to be sad. When she was stabilized, it was clear she needed specialized treatment. Lola was transferred to Noah's Ark Children's Hospital in Cardiff about an hour away.

Starting point is 00:20:49 She and Aiden and her mother followed her to the second hospital, but Kyle, on the other hand, decided to go home. Kyle didn't answer the door right away when officers stopped by at 11 a.m. When he finally let them inside, they saw he had been vacuuming the living room floor, which seemed suspicious given the general disarray and dirtiness of the rest of the house. Every room was cluttered, clothes on the floor, and items on every flat surface. Even the stovetop had opened cereal boxes sitting on the burners. A table in the living area was crowded with cigarette butts, empty food wrappers, and cleaning products. Despite the mess, the bathtub was spotless and looked like it had been recently cleaned.

Starting point is 00:21:30 During a search of the property, investigators found gray child's pajamas in the corner of a living room. The pajamas were wet, covered in vomit, and bloodstained. The police asked if he had a mobile phone, and Kyle said he didn't. When officers heard it ringing and found it hidden under a blanket, they made him hand it over. He repeated his claim that the dog must have pushed her down the stairs. He said he was downstairs making coffee when Lola woke up and walked to the top of the stairs naked. He said, I assume she ripped her nappy off before you question me on that. He asked her if she wanted some cereal and went back to the kitchen to fix her a bowl.

Starting point is 00:22:08 I could hear footsteps on the ceiling upstairs. And next thing I heard was two or three massive bangs. Boom, boom, boom. I came running around the corner and she was on the floor. He said she was out cold and snoring, which he thought many, she was choking on her tongue. When he checked her mouth, he'd found she had bitten a chunk of it off.

Starting point is 00:22:29 He said he moved her to the couch and dressed her because she was cold. He said he attempted CPR by blowing into her mouth. Kyle described Lola as accident prone, a nutcase, and an idiot. He said, she always falls and smacks her face or lacks awareness. He said Chenade fed her ice lollies all the time,

Starting point is 00:22:48 constantly ice lollies. He also said Lola was crazy, absolutely crazy. She's a bundle of energy man. They're testing her for ADHD and autism. He was clearly trying to convince them that whatever happened was Lola's fault. When asked why he waited so long to call the ambulance, he said, I had to stop her chewing on her tongue, put her on the sofa, put clothes on her, and put the dog out. I sat next to her and prayed really. He described his relationship with Shaneda's pretty good and said he often went through her phone to keep an eye on her.

Starting point is 00:23:22 When police interviewed Chenade, she also told them Lola had two left feet and that she doesn't sleep and falls over everything. She said Kyle was amazing with Lola and she didn't believe for a second that he would have hurt her. However, her opinion changed after police showed her the video Kyle had taken of Lola's unconscious body falling to the floor with a loud thud. After watching it, she said she felt sick and wanted to punch him in the face. She said, if he can do that, what has actually happened? happened to my baby. Later that day around 3.15, Kyle texted Chenade that they needed to make sure their stories matched, saying they needed to be bang on. He texted, they think we hurt Lola. She fell down the stairs and the marks are from when the dog jumped up on her. It happens all

Starting point is 00:24:10 the time. Later, he wrote, I would never hurt her like that. I really hope you know I'd done everything I could. At 434, police arrested Chenade at Noah's Ark Hospital and suspicion of child in the 437, they found Kyle at a neighbor's house and arrested him as well. Both were questioned and subsequently released. Four days later on July 21st, Lola died as the result of her injuries. She was only two years and 10 months old. Her father, Daniel, stayed by her side during her last days. It said, The guilt I feel lives inside me and will never leave, as the memory of Lola lying in a hospital bed fighting to stay alive will remain with me always. After Lola passed, the police went back to the house to question the couple again. Shanaid was erratic and panicking when she

Starting point is 00:25:01 answered the door. They described Kyle's behavior as agitated and obstructive. When police explained they just needed to make sure nothing dodgy happened and they were just doing their jobs, Kyle was confrontational. He replied, you chose to be a copper. Both Kyle and Shinnade were arrested again in January of 2021, this time on suspicion of murder and released on conditional bail. On April 21st, 2022, they were arrested a third and final time. Kyle was charged with murder and causing the death of a child. He was held with no bail. Shunaid was charged with causing or allowing the death of a child. She was put in jail for her own safety after receiving threats from community members. On June 29th, they both pled not guilty. Kyle was returned to jail to await.

Starting point is 00:25:49 his trial. Shunaid was released on conditional bail. The trial began on March 7, 2023 and was presided over by Sir Martin Alexander Griffiths in Swansea Crown Court. Prosecutor Caroline Reeves said Lola had been the victim of a frenzied and extremely violent attack that lasted for six and a half hours. She presented evidence that showed Kyle waited an hour to call an ambulance while he photographed and filmed Lola's dying body. He bathed her to cover up evidence, scrubbing so hard he removed the temporary tattoos applied on her arm. He also hit her soiled pajamas and likely hid or disposed of the weapons he used in his assault. During his testimony, Chenade called Kyle a monster. She expressed

Starting point is 00:26:32 regret saying she wondered whether Lola would still be alive if she had got him out of the house. She said, I beat myself up every day. He needs to rot in hell. She also claimed to be asleep during the incident, which prosecutors believed in part because they found no activity occurred on her cell phone during that time. One witness called to testify was Coral Barker, who had owned Jesse the bulldog before giving her to Shnade. Coral said Jesse liked cuddles and that she was very well behaved with her four young children. She also said that because of Kyle's accusation, they were forced to put Jesse to sleep. Dr. Michelle Jardine, an intensive care pediatrician with over 12 years' experience with young trauma patients, said the toddler's body was one of the

Starting point is 00:27:18 most extensively bruised and battered bodies she had ever seen. Dr. Deborah Stocker, a consultant pediatrician, testified that 101 bruises and scratches all over lowless body were not consistent with an accidental fall down the carpeted stairs. She didn't think that there was a part of her body that wasn't bruised. Many of her bruises were larger than the ones caused by the accident, and some were consistent with being grabbed and squeezed by a human hand, typically only found in cases of CA. The doctor believed some of Lola's injuries were caused by weapons that had not been found at the scene. In particular, her right thigh had circular bruises in a distinctive linear pattern, and the bleeding puncture wounds on her forehead appeared to be caused by a different weapon.

Starting point is 00:28:07 Her back and legs had been hit by yet another unidentified weapon. The pattern showed three or four blows that caused large bruises. The injuries on her neck were not consistent, with an accident, but were consistent with strangulation. The bruising on Lola's ears almost never happens by accident. It was usually the result of a direct blow. Dr. Stalker said the large subdural hemorrhage Lola had was usually the result of a high-velocity road traffic collision, where a child is thrown from the car or a fall from a great height,

Starting point is 00:28:41 such as a fall from a balcony or bedroom window of more than 10 feet. Of course, neither of those things had happened in this case, so the only other cause would have been violent shaking and forceful impacts. She said physical CA was the most likely cause. Stairfall does not explain the catastrophic and extensive injuries to the head with bleeding to both eyes. Lola's eyes had been horribly injured. All four quadrants in both of her eyes were bleeding from multiple places, including from the optic nerve sheath.

Starting point is 00:29:12 She had retinal fold and retinal splitting, injuries caused when the retina wrinkles and detaches. both signs of shaken baby syndrome. The doctor said, the whole picture of lowless head injuries led me to conclude they were caused by abusive head trauma, most likely from being violently shaken. Her cause of death was brain damage. Consultant neuro-radialologist Dr. Neil Studeley

Starting point is 00:29:37 examined CT and MRI scans of lowless head and independently came to the same conclusion. He said the subdural bleeding occurred mainly over the front left side of her brain, but also on the back right side and at the base of her brain. This was caused by forceful shaking an impact on the left side of her head. Her scalp was swollen in several places, as were her ears, which he pointed to as additional evidence of impact.

Starting point is 00:30:01 He testified her injuries could not be explained by a fall down the stairs and they were caused by inappropriate force. In his report, Dr. Studeley wrote that the injuries inside her skull caused extensive brain damage that led her to death. They were due to abusive head trauma likely to have occurred as a result of a shaking mechanism or a forceful impact to the left side of the head or a combination of both these mechanisms. In layman's terms, Kyle shook Lola and bashed her head into something solid. Prosecutor Ries acknowledged that Kyle covered up his actions with multiple excuses,

Starting point is 00:30:38 but she argued that Sheenade should have been well aware of the risk of violence Kyle posed. As a mother, it was her job to protect a Lola. but Sheenae did nothing. The jury deliberated for 10 hours. On April 4th, they found Kyle guilty of murder and Chenet guilty of causing or allowing Lola's death. At the sentencing hearing on April 25th, Lola's grandmother and father both gave impact statements.

Starting point is 00:31:02 Nicola addressed Kyle directly saying, You killed my Lola and you have broken her family. I hope with the time you have now, you can understand what you have done. Lola's clothes still hang in the wardrobe and her toys are still in the cupboard. but she is no longer here. She also told the court she lives with constant regret

Starting point is 00:31:20 because she felt ill in the night her granddaughter needed her the most. Daniel grieved the life Lola would never get to live, said, as a parent, all I could hope for was that Lola would continue to grow with happiness and health, with the courage in her heart to know she could be anything and do anything she wanted. That will never be. I will never get to meet my daughter as a teenager or a woman.

Starting point is 00:31:43 All I have left are memories of a human. beautiful baby and dreams of the child she can never become. Before Justice Griffith handed down their sentences, he considered mitigating factors such as the possibility that Chenade was afraid of Kyle, but ultimately determined she was not. The messages between the two didn't indicate fear. Instead, she showed she was in control and able to leave when she wanted. She had the support of friends, neighbors, and family. Even with other options, the judge said she consistently prioritized the relationship with Kyle Bevin, or concerned for her children. For her crime, he sentenced Shanade to six years in prison. She must serve three years before becoming eligible for release

Starting point is 00:32:25 on license, which is similar to what we would call parole. Justice Griffiths noted Kyle's lack of remorse. He said, Kyle started to hurt Lola at midnight and he carried on until she was unconscious at 6.30 a.m. Because this sustained, deliberate, and violent attack was completely unprovoked and carried out against a vulnerable child, he sentenced Kyle to life in prison. They must serve a minimum of 28 years before possible release on license. Chenade also lost custody of her surviving children, although she remained in contact with them. Mother Nicola said she hoped She needs while behind bars. Lola's funeral was held in St. David and St. Patrick Catholic Church in Haverford West on

Starting point is 00:33:08 September 15, 2020. After the service, her pink and white casket was taken to the cemetery by horse and carriage. The route through town was announced, down Captain James Hill, through Front Street, and North Road across Marble Hall. The family asked the community to wash the procession and encourage them to clap, cheer, or let off a balloon to celebrate Lola's life. She was buried at Thornton Cemetery. Citizens of Haverford West were deeply saddened by her death. At a makeshift memorial outside her home, they left toys and stuffed animals for the toddler. A family friend who wished to remain anonymous said,

Starting point is 00:33:47 I knew her for her entire life and she was such a happy little girl. I have so many amazing memories of her. There was never a time that she wasn't smiling and she had the cutest little smile. I hope that everyone dealing with this tragedy is okay, but I don't think this town will ever be the same again. So many people have been affected by this, and it's not an easy thing to go through. Local counselor Thomas Tudor agreed saying, It's a terrible tragedy that has happened.

Starting point is 00:34:18 The town is in a state of shock. After Lola's death, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children called for an investigation, which they call a child protective review. The society's local director, Tracy Holdsworth, asked the government to make protecting children a national priority. She said, the review must be robust in finding whether more could have been done to protect this little girl and how agencies working together can better prevent future tragedies. According to reporting by BBC Wales, there were an alarming number of ongoing reviews, over 30 and at least four other children in addition to Lola died during the nationwide lockdowns.

Starting point is 00:34:57 Until the reports have been published, the reason for the large number won't be clear. Experts believe the isolation likely played a part, but they don't think it was the story. sole cause. Dr. Dewey Evans, pediatrician and expert witness on child protection cases, said recent cuts to service have impacted the effectiveness of local agencies. He said they spend a lot of time firefighting. They spend most of their time chasing after those families where the injuries have already taken place. So there is no time or resources to prevent these risks occurring. And of course, prevention is better than cure. A child practice review was started after Lola's death, but put on hold after Colin Schneid's trials were completed. It was restarted in April of

Starting point is 00:35:39 2023. Although reviews often take about six months to complete, this one is taking longer. As of the date of this recording, no deadline has been set for completion and publication of the review. We will update you if any additional information becomes available. Lola's father, Daniel, wrote the following in a tribute to Lola. It read, The pain and grief I feel everything. time I close my eyes and see your perfect little face is unbearable. Even to say your name shatters my heart. The only reason I can stand here today is for hope that you can see me, see that you are loved and that you deserve to live a full, happy, safe life surrounded by the joy that you gave to others. I'm so sorry your short life was filled with so much pain. You were so loved Lola

Starting point is 00:36:26 and so missed every single day. In her tribute, Lola's grandmother, Nicola said, last memory with Lola is hearing her sing the song Diamonds by Rihanna. She and her sister had spent time learning the song and making up a little dance so they could put on a show for us. She will forever be a diamond up in the sky. We will never, ever forget her. We will continue to keep her memory alive. We write her letters and we talk to her in the sky at night. As a family, we will never get over this. The loss that we feel is indescribable. We haven't begun to process all of this and don't know if we ever will. Lola, we love you. We will always love you. We will miss you forever.

The Misery Machine - The Case of Lola James

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